


turn the charm on

by hesitant



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Awkwardness, F/M, Family Bonding, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 13:07:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13458897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hesitant/pseuds/hesitant
Summary: The bottom line was: Saeko and Akiteru had been going out for a while, and it was gettingserious.





	turn the charm on

**Author's Note:**

> hello~ i love outside pov fics and tanaka is hilarious so here's this

The bottom line was: Saeko and Akiteru had been going out for a while, and it was getting _serious_.

Akiteru was a nice enough guy. Saeko had brought  him over for dinner once, he was polite and funny, and more importantly, he and Saeko got along well.

Ryuu could tell how much they liked each other and he was happy for them as long as he didn't think about how Kei Tsukishima and him might end up being family. Tsukishima was probably doing the same thing, as he had yet to acknowledge their situation.

It was... it was fine. Ryuu was happy for her, for them. Akiteru was nice. And Saeko wasn’t a child. She was older and stronger and smarter than Ryuu and could no doubt take care of herself but he still worried.

But if Akiteru ever hurt her Ryuu was prepared to accept his brotherly duty and fight Akiteru to the death.

It would tear the team apart, Ryuu imagined it clear as day; Tsukishima would be upset that he’d beat up his brother and Yamaguchi would be upset that Tsukishima was upset, then Shouyou and Yachi would be upset that Yamaguchi was upset, and Kiyoko would be mad at him for making Yachi upset, and then Asahi would cry because everyone was upset and Noya would absolutely never forgive him for making Asahi cry and probably fight him too which would make Daichi even angrier and then he’d be booted off the team and die alone.

All because of the fucking Tsukishima’s.

He was so engrossed in his mental _Akiteru vs Ryuu smackdown_ that he doesn’t notice Noya sneak up next to him until Noya bumps his shoulder, making him nearly lose his balance and fall off the sidewalk.

“Woah, Ryuu-”

“Noya-san, I promise I would never make Asahi-san cry on purpose!” He blurts.

“Fuck man, you _better_ not.” Noya answers without missing a beat, he’d probably heard the words _‘Asahi’_ and _‘cry’_ in the same sentence and went into terminator mode or something.

Ryuu takes a moment to settle himself before speaking, “...so, you know how Ne-chan and Akiteru-kun are- _going out_.” He shudders just saying it.

Noya nods slowly, confused at the change of topic, he probably wanted to talk about Asahi some more. “Yeah, so? Did he do something, we gotta beat him up?” Noya put his fists up like Akiteru might be right around the corner waiting for them. At least it was comforting to know Noya had his back.

“Nah...he’s cool, actually. He’s nice to her. But anyways,” Ryuu sighs, his shoulders sagging. “They planned a _family dinner_ or some shit and I gotta go too.” He continues, his frustrations reignited, “ _Hours_ sitting around playing nice with the fucking Tsukishima’s. Noya-san, I’m either gonna die or commit murder.”

Saeko had announced it over dinner last night. Ryuu had choked and spat a mouthful of rice everywhere. He’d damn near begged to be allowed to stay out of it but had been adamantly denied.

“ _Ryuu, dammit_. I want to make a good impression!” She had yelled at him

“Then why the hell would you take _me_ ?” He did _not_ screech despite how desperate he was.

“I want to get along with Kei, I don’t think he likes me and-”

“Ne-chan, _honestly_ I don’t think he likes _anybody_.” He says, and it was true, but it made Saeko’s shoulders sag and Ryuu feels horribly guilty for some stupid reason so, “Nevermind, fine. I’ll go,” He says, and he sits and eats and doesn’t push Saeko away when she slaps him on the shoulder and hugs him.

So he was going. He was going to this weird -sure to be awkward at best and a test from the Gods at worse- family dinner.

Noya -great friend that loves him and is always there for him- bursts out laughing. “No fucking way.” He actually stops walking, doubling over with laughter, that bastard. Ryuu isn’t even that offended, he wanted to laugh too, except it would probably sound vaguely maniacal so he didn’t.

“You done?”

“Yeah, yeah, alright.” Noya wipes a nonexistent tear from the corner of his eye. He puts a hand on Ryuu’s shoulder and says in a quiet solemn voice, “Sucks to be you.” It really did.

 

* * *

 

Saturday evening, Saeko rings the doorbell of the Tsukishima house, Ryuu wants to die.

The stand there for a minute, Saeko bouncing on her heels with excitement, his mother and father politely neutral, and Ryuu, regretting every decision he’d ever made.

Akiteru opens the door, Tsukishima-san standing behind him. Ryuu greets them as proper and polite as he can, bowing to both of them, he feels relief beyond belief when they direct their attention to Saeko and their parents. Then Tsukishima-san shows them to the living room where she’s already set out tea for them.

Saeko and Akiteru sit together on the loveseat (Ryuu cringes internally at the name), making goo goo eyes at each other. His parents sit next to him on the large L shaped sofa, Tsukishima-san sits in front of them on one of the single chairs

The half second of dead silence is interrupted by a _ding!_ from the kitchen.

Tsukishima-san stands, “Ah, the cakes done cooling. Can I have some help?” Saeko, Akiteru, and Ryuu stand at the same time. His parents give him an amused look, Ryuu pretends not to see them, “Akiteru, sit down, love.” She says, mocking but affectionate. Akiteru’s probably the only person in the world more uncomfortable at the moment than Ryuu. “Saeko, if you will? Oh, and Ryuu, may I ask for a favor?”

“Yes, of course.” He nods. Especially if the favor got him the hell away from the living room, with an atmosphere so suffocating he just might drop dead.

“Can you go get Kei, please?”

Ryuu wanted to leave but not like this, never like this. “Yes.” He says tightly.

Tsukishima-san points him to Tsukishima’s room, Saeko gives him an encouraging thumbs up before disappearing into the kitchen, he casts a last glance at his parents and Akiteru sweating bullets in front of them before going to Mean Giraffe’s bedroom.

He is shocked to the bone to hear quiet _laughter_ coming from Tsukishima’s room. Real actual genuine laughter, not _‘you’re an idiot and i’m making fun of you’_ laughter. He didn’t think Tsukishima had it in him.

He knocks lightly, waiting for a soft _‘yeah?’_ before opening the door.

Tsukishima’s room is pretty much what Ryuu had imagined in the half second between turning the knob and opening the door, it’s plain and clean except for the books and stray papers strewn all over the floor and low table in the middle of the room. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi look up at him in shock and vague horror from where they’re sat knee to knee looking at something on Yamaguchi’s phone.

“Tanaka-san,” Yamaguchi is the first to break the awkward silence. “Hello.”

“Hey,” Ryuu nods at him. “So, uh, cake’s ready…?”

“R-right.” Yamaguchi nods, he stands up slowly. Tsukishima seems to be either unaffected or still in a state of shock. “Uh,” Yamaguchi shoots Tsukishima a desperate glance, he doesn’t say anything. “Tsukki’ll be there in a minute.”

Ryuu has never been happier to leave a room in his life, the awkwardness of the living room feels like paradise.

He thinks it might’ve been kind of a dick move not to tell Tsukishima about the family dinner, but he probably would’ve tried to wiggle his way out of it so Ryuu doesn’t feel too bad for him.

Akiteru makes a big deal of not stopping the conversation when they hear Tsukishima’s door click open, trying to seem natural and only succeeding in sounding stilted and forced.

To Ryuu’s surprise Yamaguchi walks in too, trailing half a step behind Tsukishima. They quietly make their way behind the sofa as to not interrupt the conversation and not draw attention to themselves. Yamaguchi sits between Ryuu and Tsukishima, a barrier Ryuu is infinitely grateful for. Tsukishima-san shoots Yamaguchi a small smile before turning back to her guests. Yamaguchi is probably more uncomfortable than he is, sitting ramrod straight, his shoulders stiff. Poor guy.

Ryuu very politely tries not to hear Yamaguchi quietly talking to Tsukishima but they’re sitting _right next to each other_ , their families’ quiet conversation only muffling so much.

“I should go.” Yamaguchi says.

“Ugh, why?”

“It’s,” Ryuu sees him shuffle nervously out of the corner of his eye. “It’s a _family_ thing.” He cringes internally.

It _was_ a family thing, which was awkward in and of itself, and for various reasons, but it would be even _more_ awkward if Yamaguchi left.

“Yeah, it is.” Tsukishima says, properly quiet so Ryuu has to strain to hear him, “So why would you leave?”

Wow, the table is really interesting at the moment and there is nowhere Ryuu would rather set his shock wide eyes. He should’ve jumped out of the car on the ride here. _God, this was so uncomfortable._

He chances a side glance at Yamaguchi sitting stunned silent before he practically melts into a giddy smile. The kid is freaking beaming not ten centimeters from him. Ryuu wants to die.

Akiteru -possibly a sadist?- drags them into a conversation about volleyball. Ryuu and Yamaguchi do their best to sound interested and keep the silence from being too suffocating, Tsukishima, whole lot of help that he is, watches silently. He nods or shakes his head whenever Yamaguchi prompts him but generally he just sits there and eats cake.

“And you got like five points in a row, that was amazing! I’ve never seen anything like that it was _so cool_!” Saeko gushes.

Yamaguchi blushes and ducks his head, “Ah, t-thank you.”

“So humble.” Tsukishima teases, but it lacks its usual venom.

After that the three of them sit mostly in silence. Ryuu tries to follow the conversation but is bored out of his minds about two minutes in. Yamaguchi is polite and only speaks when someone, usually Tsukishima-san or Akiteru, ask him something. Tsukishima is his usual stoic self, the only sign that he’s uncomfortable is the fact that he’s eaten three slices of cake since he sat down and shows no indication of slowing down. Yamaguchi serves him a cup of tea, Tsukishima takes it but doesn’t even set his plate down.

After his fourth slice Tsukishima-san puts the cover back on the remainder of the cake, she and Yamaguchi share a _look_. Tsukishima glares at him but Yamaguchi doesn’t seem bothered, instead smiles gleefully and offers him the rest of his slice. Tsukishima takes it, his glare lessening.

Ryuu has to make an actual effort not to tap his foot or pick at his nails or do anything that would indicate how bored he is. He takes to counting as high as he can but stops when he has to stifle a yawn.

His rage is rekindled when Tsukishima leans close to Yamaguchi and whispers something to him, Ryuu can’t hear but it makes Yamaguchi cover his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. He leans in closer to hear Yamaguchi’s response, there’s that stupid asshole smirk on his face when he sits back. Ryuu wants to punch him right then and there.

“Tanaka-san,” Yamaguchi calls him quietly, he’s still kind of giggling, if he looked less like a small excited animal Ryuu would want to punch him, too. “Should Tsukki start calling you _giri no ani_?”

Ryuu is so taken aback he almost bursts out laughing.

Tsushima wasn’t being a _complete_ assclown, he was just teasing. He was probably as, if not more, uncomfortable than him.

“He should call me _Tanaka-senpai_.” Ryuu says. Tsukishima gives an amused huff, Yamaguchi laughs quietly, completely at ease now.

Tanaka turns back to the others in time to hear his father’s obnoxious laughter, Saeko is smiling carelessly, and Akiteru looks surprised but happy.

Ah, so they’re getting along well. This wasn’t so terrible after all.

**Author's Note:**

> hello~ thank u for reading!! i hope u enjoyed this, it was v fun to write c:
> 
> tune in next time for stars and a bbq | [tumblr](http://touyukii.tumblr.com/)


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